Marriage: July 5, 2013

TODAY’S WORD FOR FRIDAY JULY 5, 2013.

MARRIAGE

DEFINITION: 

The legal union of a man and a woman; the state of being married or united.

SCRIPTURE:

Let marriage be held in honor among all. Hebrews 13:4.

He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor of the Lord. Proverbs 18:22.

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE: 

We knew 56 years ago this month when we were married that in our marriage ceremony we would commit to a vow that we would be faithful and true to one another as long as we both lived. This is absolutely essential for those that are believers in Jesus. Marriage was ordained by God and is to be honored by all believers. Honor means highly esteemed. Marriage is the most precious, warm, tender and the dearest of relationships. God highly honors marriage.

At the time God created Eve as a helpmate for Adam, God instituted marriage. Genesis 2:24 gives us the basic aspects of marriage. “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife and they will become one flesh.”

A strong and Godly marriage has these three aspects:
1.    The man and woman leave their parents and become husband and wife.
2.    They unite themselves to each other by taking responsibility for each other’s welfare and by loving each other above all others.
3.    They become one flesh in the intimacy and commitment of sexual union God designed and reserved for marriage.

These three aspects are essential for a strong and healthy marriage. It is also essential that marriage be held in honor as we are instructed in Hebrews 13:4.

God instituted marriage for our enjoyment and He honors marriage. We are to recognize marriage as good and to see our spouse as a good thing as we are instructed in Proverbs 18:22. If we follow this instruction we will obtain the favor of God.

The apostle Paul wrote in the book of Ephesians two important verses about marriage that we have honored all of our married life. In Ephesians 5:25 it reads, "Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ loved the church, and gave Himself for it."

And in Ephesians 5:31-32 we are told by Paul, "For this cause shall man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh."

Marriage unites two people so that they are no longer two entities but one single entity. This is one of the biggest adjustments for newly married couples because they have been used to having their independence and doing what they wanted to do. After marriage it can no longer be, "I want" but "what do you want." It was an adjustment we had to make but one that has great rewards. There is a joy in working together for common goals to benefit each other.

It was with these thoughts from scripture that we began our married life together. And now 56 years later with six wonderful children and their spouses and twenty grandchildren we continue to thank God daily for bringing us together and leading and blessing us as He has.

Often we are asked questions about the length of our marriage and the successes we have seen with our children and grandchildren. Our answer is always the same. It is because of the grace of God. We daily have put our trust in Him. We read the Bible daily. We pray daily. We ask God daily to protect and bless our children, their spouses and our grand-children. We tithe on all of our income that God blesses us with. And we do not sit back on our laurels waiting for something to happen but daily press on to do more for Him. We feel that this has brought the blessing of God on our marriage. This is God's promise in I Samuel 2:30, "for them that honor Me, I will honor."

LEARNING:

Our memory verse for this week is found in I John 5:13.

These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.

PRAYER:

We thank You today for Your blessing on marriage to those that love You and put their trust in You.